News

Naturally, not every visitor is fit for a brisk haul up the mountain or an afternoon on the slopes. But because Vail Valley Medical Center is situated closer to the pulse of a resort than most any other topnotch hospital, it seems a shame to deprive visitors of at least some means of exploring the mountains. Mere steps away is the Eagle Bahn Gondola and Vail Mountain, so it’s easy to get at least a bird’s-eye view of the sprawling terrain. It doesn’t have to be a hike from bottom to top — but it... MORE →

Question: I LOVE RUNNING BUT I’M STARTING TO GET PRETTY BEAT UP. DO YOU RECOMMEND A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MILES PER WEEK FOR A RECREATIONAL RUNNER?Answer: This is always a challenging question to answer, especially when working with avid runners! There is not a hard and fast number of weekly miles that applies to all individuals regarding the point at which an overuse injury may occur. Through my nearly 20 years of experience, I have appreciated an increase in overuse-type injuries when recreational... MORE →

There's a camaraderie among cancer survivors that isn’t easily replicated.
“We’ve been through all the same things together,” says Eagle resident Holli Snyder, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in March of 2010. By August of that year, she was working out with a trainer at Shaw Regional Cancer Center in Edwards as part of the center’s Fit for Survival program. That’s where she met Rita and Dana and a slew of other cancer survivors with the same simple goal: Stay healthy.
The Fit for Surviva... MORE →

Tom Hackett, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at The Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado, was selected for the 2013 USSA J. Leland Sosman Award recognizing his commitment to the medical coverage and service to the USSA.Dr. Hackett has been the head team physician for US Snowboarding and a member of the medical committee for 10 years. He served athletes in the Olympic Winter Games and played an "integral role in planning for the upcoming 2013 Games" according to the report.
Dr. J. Leland Sosman, known af... MORE →

When Dr. Janice Ugale first learned of Breast Tomosynthesis about five years ago, she recognized it was the next big breakthrough in breast cancer detection. The breast imaging radiologist knew the new 3D technology had the potential to detect small, hard-to-find cancers much earlier, increasing cancer detection by as much as 40 percent and better diagnostics for dense breasts. She couldn’t wait to offer the groundbreaking technology to patients at the Sonnenalp Breast Center.In May, the Sonnena... MORE →

On an early autumn morning in 2005, Dr. Terrell Joseph went down on one knee in the swaying basket of a hot air balloon. As the craft began to sail above Minturn, the soon-tobe-local surgeon asked his terrified companion her hand in marriage.
“I told him to stop moving around in the basket,” says Dr. Natalie Martin. “I don’t know if the ring and the flowers helped my fear of heights, but I did say yes.”
The couple met four years earlier in their respective residency programs in New Orleans — D... MORE →

At its 2012 Celebration of Life Luncheon, the Vail Breast Cancer Awareness Group (VBCAG) announced the creation of the GAP Fund - $50,000 donated to the Sonnenalp Breast Diagnostic Imaging Center at the Shaw Regional Cancer Center for those who need additional diagnostic tests.“Unlike donations that we had previously made that were spread over several years – we wanted the money to be used in one year,” says Kristin Kenney Williams, president of the VBCAG.Kenney Williams continues: “We were shoc... MORE →

Pain is defined as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience to actual or potential tissue damage. This explains the obvious in that pain is uncomfortable, but also illustrates that pain involves an emotional response to the discomfort. In pain management, we address both the sensory and emotional experiences.All pain is not the same. The experience of pain is an evolutionary adaptation to tell us that something is wrong with our body. How it feels leads doctors to a diagnosis. Pain is clas... MORE →

SKIN — IT HOLDS IT ALL TOGETHER.
As the body’s largest organ, and the most exposed, skin needs a little TLC if it’s going to stay healthy for the long haul. And that’s where Jean Liu Urquhart, M.D., comes in. Both a board certified dermatologist and dermapathologist, Dr. Urquhart works with Mountain Dermatology Specialists in Eagle and Vail. She looks at your skin and it tells her things about its sensitivities and inclinations; she gets it under a microscope and it reveals even more. Most of ... MORE →

The perfect sports drink has fluid to keep your blood and muscle cells hydrated, carbohydrate for energy plus sodium and potassium so your heart and other muscles work like a fine tuned machine.
Who may benefit from a sports drink?• If you exercise longer than an hour. • The American College of Sports Medicine recommends athletes start drinking sooner than later, every 15-20 minutes.
Ditch the Gatorade® and Try these AlternativesAll natural, without dye/food coloring: Carb BOOM! Electro... MORE →